Connecticut CART Act — Most Comprehensive State AI Statute Now Phasing In

Connecticut signed the AI Responsibility and Transparency Act (the "CART Act") into law on June 2, 2026, with the first provisions beginning to phase in on July 1 and most obligations effective October 1. The CART Act is the most comprehensive state AI statute enacted in the US to date, covering employment-related automated decision tools, consumer chatbots, generative AI provenance, and platforms used by minors. For law firms, the CART Act's compliance obligations apply in two ways: as a requirement on the firms' own AI deployments affecting Connecticut-connected employees and clients, and as a subject of advice for clients in regulated industries who need to map the CART Act's October 1 effective date against their own AI governance infrastructure. The narrow implementation window between the July 1 initial provisions and October 1 full effectiveness is drawing attention from compliance teams because it requires documenting AI systems, implementing disclosure requirements, and establishing governance processes on a condensed timeline. Connecticut's approach adds to the growing patchwork of US state AI regulation — alongside Illinois' AI Video Interview Act (existing), New York's automated employment decision tool rules, and Colorado's AI Act — that is creating a de facto multi-state compliance burden for firms and clients operating nationally.